The present invention relates generally to teaching devices which are entertaining as well as educational. More particularly, the present invention relates to an entertaining teaching device in which the intended result of use is the exposure to and learning of the principles of criminal and Constitutional law and procedure, so that the participant may better become aware of a citizen's rights and responsibilities in a free society under law.
Many prior art games involving the use of game boards, marker pieces, dice or other chance apparatus, instructional cards, and simulated money and/or other simulated reward means have been heretofore known. Among these are U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,210 to Breslow relating to the subject of art and artists.
These prior art games typically involve the use of a chance apparatus to dictate the movement of a marker piece along a path on a game board. Such game boards usually have various areas thereon containing instructions for further movement and present the player with an opportunity to exercise certain decisions regarding a supply of simulated money, or in conjunction with certain other simulated rewards. Typically, the object of such games is the accumulation of the greatest possible amount of simulated money or other simulated reward, at the expense of the other players and/or the "bank". Such games have been popularly received because, in general, they have been easy to understand and play and have provided a certain amount of psychological satisfaction to the winner. However, such games have seldom been of any significant educational value to the participant, since the chief purpose involved was that of entertainment by gaining simulated wealth. In these games, whatever learning was done pertained only to the arbitrary rules of the individual game, rather than to anybody of knowledge having an important, independent existence.
On the other hand, many teaching techniques of the prior art have involved such dull activities as rote memorization, incessant repetition, and the like. Often, these techniques have been counterproductive from the standpoint that the student, faced with boring teaching tenchiques, would transfer his disenchantment with the teaching technique to particular subject matter involved. The attractiveness of learning should not be diminished by use of dull techniques because, with proper teaching techniques, learning can be entertaining, as well as educational.
An object of the present invention is to provide a unique combination teaching device and game which will overcome certain disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a teaching device and game having features such that, by participation therein, principles of criminal law and procedure may be readily learned and retained.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a teaching device and game which will provide an incentive to learn the principles of criminal and Constitutional law and practice.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teaching device and game having a game board, chance means, reward means, maker pieces and a variety of instructional cards, whereby the participants may be taught the evidentiary fundamentals of criminal procedure and Constitutional law in order better to know their Constitutional rights and, hence, be better functioning citizens within a free society.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a teaching device and game wherein the instructional cards which correspond to various areas on the game board provided therefor relate to various fact situations between the various participants, and/or "society", including criminal indictments, criminal defenses, criminal evidentiary situations, stop and frisk situations, and electronic surveillance situations.
The foregoing objects and others are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing an entertaining teaching device of unique characteristics. In one form, such teaching device includes a game board with a closed path thereon bearing instructions. Marker pieces are used to record the position of each participant on the closed path. Random or chance selection means in the form of dice are used for determining the advancement and ultimate positioning of the marker pieces. Reward indicator means represent "jurors" to be won by a participant who, having been accused of a "crime", stands in the position of a "defendant" in a criminal case.
In the educational game of the present invention the factual and legal situation confronting a participant is that of a person facing the accusation of a crime. Each participant is indicated and faced with the necessity of conducting his criminal defense. Each participant is provided with a limited supply of money for obtaining the services of a lawyer, criminal bond, etc. During the pre-trial and trial stages he or his attorney is faced with various choices of action which most often occur in at least partially random sequence. In such a situation, his knowledge of Constitutional law and practice to be used in reacting to the various situations will either resolve or aggravate his defense difficulties and will be largely determinative of his ultimate fate, i.e., whether he will be found guilty or not guilty. Thus, a knowledge of the law, as exercised by use of the present invention is simulated situations, serves to make the citizen more aware of his Constitutional rights.
A variety of game elements or cards are provided and represent, among other things, a variety of different criminal "indictments" and criminal "defenses". Also provided are evidence cards bearing questions relating to various evidentiary situations, which, if answered correctly, gain reward indicators or "jurors" for the participant, the ultimate goal being to become the first participant to accumulate twelve or other number of "jurors", and thereby to be found "not guilty".
In a preferred form, each participant is provided with an equal number of "stop and frisk" cards, one of which may be examined by a participant whose marker comes to rest on a corresponding area on the game board. Such "stop and frisk" cards bear further instructions relating to the gain or loss of "jurors".
In addition to such "indictment", "defense", "evidence", and "stop and frisk" cards, in the preferred embodiment "search warrant" and "electronic surveillance" cards may be provided to correspond to one or more areas on the game board, which areas bear instructions for their use. The elements of the present invention having been set forth generally, reference will now be made to the drawing for a more specific recitation of the structure and function thereof.